Cayenne Pepper

Capsaicin is a natural compound that gives hot peppers their fiery heat. Eating capsaicin found in cayenne peppers leads to short increases in metabolism.

Peppers are rich in vitamins, work as effective appetite controllers, benefit heart health and smooth digestion.

Cayenne Burns Fat

Capsaicin has long been studied for its fat-burning abilities and thermogenic properties (the stimulating of the central nervous system to produce heat in the body, leading to an increase in calorie burning).

Nicholas Perricone, M.D., cites several of these studies in his wildly popular The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet and concludes that capsaicin acts as an appetite suppressant:

Studies by the Journal of Obesity also found that the spice increases fat oxidation, “ramps up energy expenditure, and stimulates activity by the sympathetic nervous system,” helping the body to shed excess weight.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supplementing men and women with capsaicin resulted in increased breakdown of abdominal fat.

Although the capsaicin found in cayenne pepper increases the rate of thermogenesis, it also appears to promote a sense of fullness so you’ll consume fewer calories overall.

A recent study showed that capsaicin was more effective at increasing fat loss when eaten with green tea. It’s thought that the combination helps to promote satiety, so we eat fewer calories.

Not a fan of fiery cuisine?

Research has found that cayenne’s ability to reduce appetite is equally effective whether ingested as food or in capsule form.

Cinnamon is a natural sweetener with its own brilliant nutty flavor. Known for fighting carb cravings, it works wonders for a sweet tooth, while keeping you at a safe distance from fatty sugars and desserts.

But before you pile it on by the spoonful, note that cinnamon has a chemical called coumarin, which can lead to liver damage if consumed in very large amounts.

Mustard Seed

Like the other hot ingredients on this list, spicy mustard helps boost metabolism and allows you to burn fat more quickly, thanks in part to its thermogenic properties.

Scientists at England’s Oxford Polytechnic Institute recently found that eating just one teaspoon of hot mustard can “boost metabolism 20 to 25% for several hours after eating, resulting in a burn of about 45 more calories after eating a 700-calorie meal.”

TIP: Substitute mayo with mustard. Why? Because for the same creamy texture, you will only get 1/10th of the calories.

Turmeric

Turmeric is frequently used in Indian cooking and is one of the many spices that gives curry its distinctive flavor.

The deep yellow-orange color is from a pigment named curcumin, a compound that helps control weight.

Turmeric Minimizes Fat

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed when curcumin supplements were given to mice on a high fat diet, they lost both fat and body weight, despite taking in the same amount of food.

Human research needs to confirm these results, but as a low carb spice, turmeric offers a variety of other health benefits.

Black Pepper

Pepper’s main ingredient, pipeline (gives pepper its pungent taste) boosts fat metabolism by as much as 8% for several hours after ingesting it.

If you want to pack the most punch, use freshly ground pepper. It has the most concentrated amounts of piperine.

Ginseng

Ginseng is more of a low carb herb than a low carb spice, but it shows potential for helping with weight control.

In a recent USC study, mice were given ginseng extract for 12 days. They showed a decrease in body weight and lower blood glucose levels.

Ginseng has stimulant properties similar to caffeine that raise your metabolism, contributing to weight loss.

Although ginseng is generally considered safe, use it with caution if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.

Health Benefits of Indian Spices

The term “Indian spices” encompasses all the herbs and spices grown and cultivated across the Indian subcontinent in South Asia, including ginger, cumin, coriander, red chili, black pepper and turmeric.

The Sun of London reports Indian spices are proven weight loss ingredients, according to a Dutch study.

The study found that low carb spices in Indian cooking speed up your metabolism, which makes you lose weight faster.

Indian low carb spices offer health benefits besides weight loss:

Protection against cancer and Alzheimer’s.

The high levels of potassium found in turmeric combat heart disease, heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

The plentiful nutrients in Indian spices keep your immune system strong and ease the flow of blood to your organs, muscles, cells and tissues.